How to Shoot Great Portraits in Bright Sunlight | Portrait Photography

This detailed tutorial will walk you through natural light portraiture techniques that will help you to take your photography to the next level.

We are gonna break some rules and talk about how to shoot awesome portraits outside in bright sunlight in the middle of the day - without using reflectors or a flash to fill in the harsh shadows. We have all had that experience of going outside to photograph a model or shoot a portrait only to realize that the lighting sucks because it’s the middle of the day and the sun is high in the sky.

I rarely shoot with lighting equipment or reflectors outside. It’s just a pain in the butt unless I have an assistant to help with the stuff, not to mention that it takes time to set up and test your lighting. If you have the extra time - go for it.

Generally, I have limited time to get my shot, so my approach is to KISS IT! That’s right - Keep it simple stupid. The easiest solution is SHADE! Yup, place your subject in the shade.

Even in the middle of the day, you can find shade almost anywhere. Good shade creates soft, even, flattering light that is awesome for portraits and modeling shots.

I want to walk you through some examples of shots where I have used this technique and fill you in on some of the HOWS and WHYS that you should keep in mind before you run out to shoot at high noon.

Disclaimer - there is NO “perfect for everything lighting scenario.” Period. If you want to excel at photographing models or people, in general, using natural or even studio lighting, you have to learn how light works and, more importantly, how to “see the light.” I don’t mean go out and learn about 2 to 1 lighting ratios and Rembrandt lighting and that kind of stuff - you can if you really want to, but none of that will help you learn to see or use it creatively.



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FTC Disclosure: No sponsors have paid for inclusion in this video. Some links in the description are affiliate links; if you use them and buy something, I'll earn a commission (at no extra cost to you, and often while getting you discounts or special perks!) that supports my FREE teaching efforts on YouTube.

#outdoorportraits #portraitphotography #portraitsonlocation